Communicating the classified; the worlds of COMSEC

  • Published
  • By Ross Tweten
  • 482nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. --  While nefarious agencies worm their way across the planet, hunting military communications, it's a distinct possibility your message or mode of communication is the exact one being hunted.

Critical and sensitive information of multitudinous amounts is being shared over secure networks by the Department of Defense across the globe. But there's an infrastructure, an invisible shield, ensuring each mode of communication used by the DOD is locked up air tight.

It's arguably the most pervasive and integral component of military operations: Communications Security.

COMSEC is comprised of the process and all the steps needed to protect information of value when it's being communicated. It's the way to protect both classified and unclassified traffic on military communications networks, including voice, video, and data. It's used for both analog and digital applications, and both wired and wireless links.

The world of COMSEC is fraught with dangers lying behind every electronic impulse, telephone line, and literally every door. As such, in every mode the military communicates, it must maintain COMSEC specifically tailored to that mode's environment and conditions.

"COMSEC is different fields synergizing to produce secure environments," said Mr. Julio Velezon, 482nd Fighter Wing information assurance and workforce improvement program. "All aspects are equally important; from the analog to the digital, and the wired to the wireless."

COMSEC usually consists of the following components, securing modes of communication: cryptographic security, transmission security, physical security, emission security, and traffic-flow security - and each mode is a world onto itself.

Cryptographic security: the provision of technically sound cryptosystems and their proper use. This includes ensuring message confidentiality and authenticity.

Emission security: this deals with emanations from crypto-equipment, computers, and telecommunications systems; basically, equipment that emits electrical magnetic impulses.

Physical security: physical measures necessary to safeguard classified equipment, material, and documents such as vaults, safes, etc.

Traffic-flow security: measures that conceal the presence and properties of valid messages on a network. It includes the protection resulting from features, inherent in some crypto-equipment, that conceal the presence of valid messages on a communications circuit, normally achieved by causing the circuit to appear busy at all times.

Transmission security: the protection of transmissions from interception and exploitation by means such as frequency hopping and spread spectrum.

"All the aspects of COMSEC are a direct result of the continuous and successful work of the people in the COMSEC field," said Velezon. "They operate in the background, but they're always maintaining confidentiality and integrity, making our communication channels secure."

It's obvious the ultimate goal of COMSEC, and the people who uphold it, is to prevent unauthorized access to communications systems - in other words, keeping the enemy from eavesdropping.

"As information flows from one area to another area, in can be intercepted," said Velezon. "We're trying to prevent that from happening while still delivering the message content and maintaining its intended integrity."

COMSEC covers a large swath of military communications, from cryptographic keys, the decoding of classified messages, and authenticating operational actions, to securing phone lines. But what would happen if the integrity of the COMSEC system was weakened?

Yes, sensitive information would be compromised, but even more damaging, this loss of sensitive information may never be detected. Fortunately, the nature of COMSEC equipment and materials, are structured to reduce or eliminate the possibility of compromise.

According to Velezon, COMSEC users should heed the following guidelines:

- Know the types of deviations that could result from improper handling, control and destruction of COMSEC material.
- Know the types of reportable equipment malfunctions or operator errors for equipment.
- Report any known or suspected deviations to the COMSEC manager or violating unit's commander immediately.

"COMSEC users and the people who create the secure communications must be conscientious and meticulous," said Velezon. "They have to be because when you make a mistake in this field, it would be devastating to our national defense; the entire DOD could feel it."

As the battle for the upper hand in the communications and information sharing world continues, the stakes remain as high as ever.

"We're relaying strategic information both at home and in combat zones," said Velezon. "When communications are secured and the warfighter can complete the mission safely, not only is their communications secured, their lives are secured."